Vol. 510 No. 4
161 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the regulatory position in relation to the issuing of taxi plates in County Wexford; if taxi licences are available on application in rural counties; the way in which this procedure compares with that of obtaining a hackney licence; and the proposals, if any, to change the system whereby an applicant can obtain a taxi licence in County Wexford. [22780/99]
The Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 1999, devolve all significant decisions relating to the licensing of taxis, wheelchair accessible taxis and hackneys to local authorities.
Under these arrangements, a local authority may, as a reserved function, declare an area to be a taximeter area, may determine the number of taxi licences to be granted in respect of that area and may also determine that hackney licences shall not be granted in its functional area.
The grant of taxi licences and-or wheelchair accessible taxi licences arises in taximeter areas only and must be assessed by local authorities on the basis of criteria – points – set out in the regulations and in accordance with any determination of licence numbers made by them. Hackney licences are available without restriction from local authorities, except in cases where they have decided that such licences will not be granted in their functional area. Hackneys may provide services in any part of the country and no points system applies in relation to their licensing.
Applicants for taxi and hackney licences must also pay the appropriate licence fee, provide a certificate issued by the Garda confirming that the vehicle is suitable to be licensed and produce evidence that the use of the vehicle will be covered by insurance.
I understand that Wexford County Council has not as yet declared any part of its functional area to be a taximeter area but that hackney licences are available on application.
